CAPE TOWN. – A few years ago, a few detractors and critics dubbed him a specialist fielder.

But the past season, he has answered those naysayers with excellent performances and underlined why he is a classic three-in-one cricketer and an all-rounder that should not be sniffed at. In brief: Sybrand Engelbrecht has become one of the stalwarts of the Nashua Cape Cobras. When given a run in the final of the RAM SLAM T20 Challenge in February 2014, Engelbrecht scored a splendid 56. In the Champions League T20 tournament in India, Engelbrecht took three for 20 against the Hobart Hurricanes, and nabbed out two for 24 against the Barbados Tridents. In the super over, he bowled the Cobras to a win against the Tridents and denied the Caribbean men a relatively easy target of 11. Thanks to his performances with the ball in India, he can no longer be dubbed an occasional spinner. And he averages 45.58 with the bat in List A-cricket. When the domestic Momentum One-Day Cup competition starts on Saturday against the Chevrolet Knights in Kimberley, Engelbrecht might just be one of the most important factors for the Cobras in the middle-overs. “I think I have worked very hard with some people, like Andrew Puttick, Dane Vilas, Charl Langeveldt and Salieg Nackerdien on the mental aspect of the game in the off-season,” said Engelbrecht. “I have also analysed my own bowling action on video, and I have changed my action. I have also realized that I needed to add some pace to my bowling, and possibly I am bowling between 5 and 10 kilometres per hour faster than before,” said Engelbrecht. Some people might question the ability of the injury-hit Cobras to repeat their heroics of the Momentum One-Day Cup competition that saw them share the title in 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. Engelbrecht, though, holds a different opinion. “We have an unbelievable mix of experience and youth. We are all working in the same direction. We know what is needed to be even more successful. “There are some members of our squad who have been part of the team that shared the title. But they want to be sole owners of the Cup. “We bat very deep, and we also have quite several options with the ball. “It is critical for us to win the special moments of every game. There is a hunger evident in the team to be victorious in every single game,” he added.